Letters to Formby Times: 07/07/10

AS A once loyal Tesco customer I would readily support a boycott of their Formby petrol station.

Some years ago while returning to Formby I topped up my car with fuel from a Tesco petrol station in Old Swan, however when I returned the expensive Formby prices only served to highlight the crazy differential in price. So much so that I phoned Tesco’s customer services to find out why there was such a difference, they told me that they only had to remain competitive “within the area”.

Since that date, as a matter of principle I have always purchased my fuel outside the Formby area, so they lost at least one customer!

As of writing, I believe Tesco’s Formby unleaded fuel was 119.9p per litre, my own purchased fuel was 113.9p per litre, which is 6p per litre LESS.

In’old money’ that is more than 27p per gallon dearer.

How many people would have paid 27p per gallon more for fuel when it was measured in gallons?

The Formby BP petrol station is even worse.

Tesco’s have a absolute cheek to say that they offer 5p per litre off if one spends over £50 in their shop – so as a reward for spending £50 in their store Formby people should actually be grateful to be allowed to still pay 1p per litre (4.5p per gallon) more for their fuel – I think not!

I can purchase my fuel 6p per litre cheaper without having to spend £50 in a Tesco store.

If Formby people simply stopped buying their fuel at Tesco and BP (and believe me it wouldn’t take long) they would have no alternative than to reduce their fuel prices.

If they can still make healthy profits selling fuel at their other outlets at much cheaper prices then why should Formby people be taken advantage of?

I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with Phil Roberts (Formby Times, June 30) the continuing high fuel prices at Tesco and BP fuel stations in Formby is nothing less than a rip off, they seem to be cashing in on the presumption that if you live in Formby you must have lots of money.

It is quite pathetic of Tesco to say that fuel is cheaper if you spend £50 in store.

How can it be cheaper if you have to spend £50 first?

Tesco and BP need to drop their local pricing policy, it is cheaper in Litherland Tesco because they assume there is less money in that area.

The only way to oppose the high prices of Tesco and BP is to not buy at those places. All of us must travel outside Formby as I do, and when I'm elsewhere I top up my tank it may only be a 1p or 2p but it saves money and stops me paying over the top and I don’t have to spend £50 first.

I urge others to think this way as the best protest we can make is not to spend money on the exorbitant fuel charges these companies are asking.

DAVE JONES

Ditchfield, Formby

Just a rip-off

WHAT a rip off the price of petrol is at Tesco's Formby.

I have emailed Tesco on a number of occasions regarding their pricing policy of petrol at their Formby store.

I reckon they are making 25p per gallon in excess profits at this store, that is £1 for every four gallons of petrol they sell there.

I also always get the same reply, it is dependent upon local prices and, as you say, the only competition in Formby is the even more expensive BP garage at the roundabout.

It’s about time everybody boycotted both these petrol outlets, then we would see the prices falling.

RON JONES

Via email

Another view

RE: Petrol prices at Formby Tesco.

In all reality, what do people expect?

It was blatantly obvious that supermarkets’ sole reason for cheap prices was to knock out local independents, the competition.

Once the local competition can no longer compete with the supermarkets’ 'less than profit' prices on certain main goods (fuel, bread, milk, meats, booze, etc) and go out of business, the supermarkets put the prices back up to (usually) higher than the local competition had prior.

People, in a thoughtless rush to save a few minutes of shopping time, or a few pence per shop, all flocked to the supermarkets, abandoning the smaller independents.

Of course they were going to go out of business, what do people then expect? The supermarkets to keep the same low prices? Why?

They care nothing for local community, fair trade or local economy, just sales and profit, at the expense of all others.

Now that people have played right into the hands of the supermarkets and helped them eliminate the local competition, those people (and the rest of us) now have to suffer at the rip-off monopoly they helped instil.

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Being squeezed

THE response from Tesco concerning petrol prices at their Formby store is disingenuous to say the least.

Tesco do have a pricing policy for their petrol. It would appear to be the highest price they can get away with charging.

The price at each store is based on a comparison with the nearest garages.

When Telegraph had a garage in Liverpool Road serving cheap petrol, the price at Tesco Formby was equivalently cheap.

When Telegraph closed the price at Tesco Formby immediately increased.

Tesco do not appear to be basing their petrol price on their costs or getting the best value for their customers, but on squeezing the most they can out of us and reaping the maximum profit for their share holders.

JEREMY SWINSON

Duke Street, Formby

Chorley’s cheaper

I TOTALLY agree with last week's story about petrol prices in Formby.

We went to Chorley recently and noticed that morning as we went past Tesco in Formby that they had put the price up by one pence.

But when we got to Chorley's Tesco it was five pence a litre cheaper.

There should not be such a wide difference in what is the same chain. They are not concerned with giving the best value for the motorist.

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Striking back

RE: Storm Troopers invade Formby beach (Formby Times, June 30).

The 99th Imperial Garrison was set up in 2005 by Ian Parker and Nicola Chapman as a group that enjoyed Star Wars and raised money for charity.

Ian was brought up in Formby and now lives in this area, and like Gareth saw the Devil's Hole in the sand dunes as a good location for a Star Wars' film.

Gareth joined the group and had a camera so he suggested that he, Ian and a few others get together to make the film.

The costumes were mainly made by Ian.

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We’re not kids

RE: Margaret Carney interview in Formby Times (June 16).

This stated that Sefton Council needs to save £38m by 2014.

During the Labour government’s tenure they urged local councils to employ more people.

At that time there was a photo in the Formby Times entitled ‘Five new posts for Sefton’ and underneath this picture we were told that these five peoples’ jobs were to encourage us to use our local parks.

What a complete waste of council tax and how insulting.

As id the residents are so simple minded that they do not know what to do with their time.

These types of non-jobs and similar surplus council departments should be axed.

The local tax-paying residents are sick of our taxes being wasted in the profligate way while we are treated as though we are at infant school.

SHIRLEY CHILDS (MRS)

Formby

Hip-hip hair-ay

WE would like to thank everyone who

sponsored Christine Stevenson for her recent head shave for the breast cancer campaign.